Engine starter



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INVENTOR. Romeo M Nardo/7e NEY.

Dec. 1o, 1935.

R. 4M. NARDONE ENGINE STARTER Filed April 3o, 1952 2 sheets-sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. Romeo M .Nardo/7e `Patented Dec. 10, 1935 UNITED sTATi-:s

PATENT OFFICE ENGINE STARTER Romeo M. Nardone, East Orange, N. J., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Eclipse Aviation Corporation, East Orang'e, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application April so, 1932, serial No. 608,520

7 Claims.

engine-engaging member for cranking purposes,

it is customary to employ a relatively high reduction gear train in order to step-down the extraordinarily high flywheel speed of only a few hundred R. P. M. on the part of theengineengaging member and thus facilitate proper mesh of the latter with the stationary engine member to be engaged. y'I'he' engaging and engaged members customarily employed in inertia starters are of such type that diiiiculty is encountered in meshing one with the other under load at a diiference in speed of more than a few hundred R. P. M. Without causing serious injury to one or the other of such parts.

The above described difculty in utilizing the relatively great energy which may be stored in a comparatively light flywheel by accelerating the latter to an extraordinarily high speed, has heretofore brought about the use, in conjunction with the reduction gearing, of a torque limiting clutch adapted to absorb the tremendous initial shock by slipping momentarily, thus permitting a smoother initial turning action. This of course entails the loss of a considerable amountof the lywheels energy and such lostv energy, coupled with th/e energy lost in accelerating the engine from rest to a suitable firing speed, has made it necessary to employ a ywheel of larger `mass and inertia effect than would otherwise be necessary, in order that the energy remaining after the losses above mentioned, shall be sumcient to complete the cranking operation, throughA the high reduction ratio which converts the already materially reduced speed of the flywheel into a. cranking -speed which would otherwise be too low to be effective. It follows that the provision of gear shifting means acting to change the initial high reduction ratio `to a lower ratio, once the engine has been accelerated to a certain intermediate speed, would serve to increase the speed of rotation of the engine-engaging member (after .there is no longer any danger of tooth breakage) and thus make it possible to utilize substantially all the energy previously stored in the ywheel for completion of the cranking operation. The provision of such gear shifting means would have the further advantage of making possible the use of a iiywheel of considerably smaller dimen- 5 sions, because of the greater eiiciency in the utilization of the energy stored therein. It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide means for increasing the cranking speed of the engine-engaging member of a starter of the foregoing character, by changing the gear ratio between the inertia element andthe engineengaging member after the cranking operation has proceeded through the rst, or greatest resistance stage. l

In the embodiment of the invention herein illustrated, such ratio changing is effected by the use of a novel centrifugally acting clutch mechanism operating to render effective a portion of the gear train (not participatingin the rst stage of the cranking operation) and acting in conjunction With' an 'overrunning clutch mechanism to eliminate a portion of the gear train thereto- I fore used; such centrifugally acting mechanism being operative automatically in response to a 25 definite degree of deceleration of the inertia member, or iiywheel. A i

Generally stated, however, it is to be understood that the mechanism herein illustrated is merely representative of any equivalent form of ratio changing device, operating at a predetermined stage in the cranking operation to produce4 a definite change in reduction ratio between a starter flywheel, or other variable speed driving member, and the engine crankshaft. The form of the invention shown in the drawings, therefore, is not to be construed as a limitation of the scope of the invention in any respect in which the appended claims are of broader scope.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a central sectional view of the device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially -along the line l2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along 45 the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the speed responsive mechanism with certain parts in section, and in relative positions varying from those indicated in Fig. 2. 50 Referring to the drawings, there is disclosed therein a ilywheel 6 adapted to drive an engineengaging member Vshown in the form of a .jaw clutch l normally out of engagementwith, but movable axially to mesh with a corresponding 55 -the engine engaging clutch element 1.

jaw clutch member 8 integral or connecting with the crankshaft of the engine to be started, a portion of the crankcase therefor being indicated at 9. The mechanism, including the gear trains which drivably connect the flywheel 6 with the engine-engaging member 1, is shown as housed within a suitable casing constituted by an inner section |I, an intermediate section I2, and an outer section I3 to the central portion of which a motor I4 (if the ywheel is motor actuated) is attached by suitable screws I6 prior `to the attachment of the section I3 to the section I2. The flywheel may be energized by any suitable means, but when the electric motor I4 is employed as the energizing instrumentality,

.l there is preferably secured to' the iiywheel, by

a clutch element I8" suitable means I1, adapted to be engaged by corresponding clutch ^element I9, mounted on the extending portion 2| of the armature shaft of th emotor I4, which portion 2| is preferably threaded or spirally splined as indicated at 22; the clutch element I9 having corresponding threads vor splines whereby rotation of the shaft produces a forward movement of the element I9 into driving relation with the corresponding clutch element I8. Normally the member |9 is held in the disengaged position by suitable means which, as lshown, takes the form of a spring 24 held in place 'by 'a cup 26 fixed in, any suitable manner to the shaft 2|.

Preferably the flywheel 6 has an extending` and 32,. contained in a boss 33lwhich may 'beV formed integrally with the transversely extending diaphragm orpartition 34 which, as shown, is integral with the outer Wall .of the casing section I2. The bearing assemblies are held in place by suitable means which, as shown, includes shoulders 35 and 36 formed on the boss 33 and flywheel hub 21 respectively, and a retaining plate 31 held to the boss 33 by suitable screws 38. A nut engaging the threaded end 4I of the shaft 28 serves to hold the shaft 28 against axial Adisplacement in one direction relative to the flywheel 6, while the pinion 42 prevents such axial displacement `in the opposite direction by virtue of its being integral with the shaft 28 and held in abutting relation withthe inner face of the bearing 3| by the adjustment of nut 39. Also integral with the shaft 28 is a second pinion 43 of considerably smaller diameter, the pinions 42 and 43 being shown as permanently vmeshed with a pair of gears 46 and 41 respectively. The gears 46and- 41 a're both shown as rotatable about the axis of shaft 49 journalled at one end in a boss 5| extending from the casing section II in a -direction toward the engine crankcase 9 and as shown, interlocking with said crankoase as indicated at 52; the boss 5I being laterally offset from a boss 53 provided with bearings 56 in which is journalled a sleeve 54 splined or otherwise drivably connected with the y rearwardly extending cylindrical portions 55 of The Y shaft 49 forms part of the .driving connection -between the flywheel 6 and the parts 54 and 55 4just described, the drive'being transmitted tov the shaft 4,9 by way of one or the other of gearsv 46-41 and a shouldered vsleeve orbarrel 58 surthe provision of a suitable torque limiting clutch which, in the forml shown, includes a pluralitylend as indicated at 1I.

of annular friction discs 59 having connection alternately with the splined inner surface of, the sleeve 58 and the splined portion 6I of the shaft 49.

As shown the clutch discs are held in friction- 5 al engagement by the provision of annular pressure plates 62 and 63 at opposite ends of the disc assembly; the pressure maintained on the plates being adjustable by the provision of a series of coiled compression springs 64 disposed 10 at intervals of equal distances from the axis of the shaft 49 and adjustably held in place by the provision of pins 68 extending inwardly from a retaining ring 61 which is in turn secured in place by the pressure of adjusting ring 69 15 threadedly engaging the sleeve 58 near its outer A friction reducing sleeve 13 may, if desired, be interposed lbetween the shaft 49 and the sleeve 58 to facilitate relative rotation therebetween when the clutch discs 20 slip upon application of excessive load. A sim-- ilar friction reducing Washer 16 may be interposed between the end of sleeve 58 and the tosthedyportion 11 of the shaft 49; said toothed portion constituting a pinion meshing with a 25 spur gear 18 connected by suitable means 19 tov a radially extending ange 8| .on the above de-` scribed sleeve 54.

In the embodiment herein shown the gear combinations 43-41, and 42-46 are intended to operate l alternately to connect the flywheel 6 lwith the engine-engaging member 1 and are inv tended to represent any suitable pair of altering member 1, first at one reduction ratio, and

then at a different reduction ratio, which in turn bears a definite ratio to the rst. l

In furtherance of this end, the gear 46 has riveted or otherwise secured to its lateral surface lat equal angular' intervals along a circle concentric with its periphery, a plurality of plates 83v on which are formed brackets 84 journally receiving the pins 86 extending through transversely disposed openings in a corresponding plurality of weights 81 of greater mass at the portions remote from the axis of rotation, as indicated at 88, the said portions 88 being recessed to receive compression springs `89, the opposite ends of which abut the face of the gear 46, and thus tend to hold the weights in the position indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 against the action of cen trifugal force which tends to swing these weights in a direction such as to move the inner ends 9| to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1 and thus permit a corresponding movement of cage 93 with' which the inner portions 9| of the weights are operatively linked through suitable means as indicated at 94. As shown'best in Figs. 1 ande, the cage 93 has conical openings 95 at the points through which the members 94 pass and the latter have corresponding conical heads permitting the movement thereof relative to the cage. .65.

Normally the cage 93 rotates in unison with the gear 46 to which it is secured through the connecting axially extending fingers 91 (Fig. 1) between which `are mounted rollers 98 received in f' pockets |00 provided by recessing the inner sur- 70 face of the, gear 46. As shown the' rollersY are cylindrical in shape but itI is to beunderstood that they may have other shapes such as the spherical, and the claims are toA be so interpreted. Springs 99, anchored to pins |||I4 ex-` 75 engine member 8 after the ywheel has been, 30r

tending outwardly from the gear 46 and hooked at their opposite ends to the cage 93 as indicated at |02, tend to draw the cage 93 in a clockwise direction relative to the gear A46, as viewed in Fig. 2,"and thus draw the rollers 98 toward the centers of the pockets formed between the gear 46 and-thev sleeve 58 but such tendency is unavailing so long as the position ef the weights :ial is such as to hold the conical` heads of the pins 94 in rm. engagement with the conical seats in the cage 93.

In order to eliminate the drive from the gear v41 to\thel sleeve 58 ywhen the rollers 98 become effective tokey the gear 46 to the sleeve 58, an

. overrunning clutch of any suitable construction Vis interposed between the :members 41 and 58.-

As shown in Fig. 3 such clutch may take a conventional form involving a plurality of rollers |06,

|01-and |08 of graduatedV sizes, normally pressed .into engagement with both the recessed surfaces y of the sleeve58 and the inner-cylindrical surface' .of the hub of the gear 41,- by the provision of 'spring pressed plungers |09, which plungers are however yieldable to permit free rotation of the'v rollers when \the rotary speed o f vthe sleeve 5,8

tends to exceed that of the gear 41. Any suitable means may-be employed for moving the jaw clutch 1 into engagement .with-the sufficiently accelerated, but as shown in Fig. 1, ther means employed herein includes lever III pivoted to a suitable support II2 extending from' the wallA of the casing section I2 and having a yoked formation vII3 for operative connection with an annular groove -provided in the rearwardly extending portion 55 of the jaw clutch element 1; a torsion spring II4 being provided to exert a force tending to holdthe clutch in the disengaged position, said Aspring being -yieldable to permit forward movement of the clutchinrespouse to manual operation of' the leverI III through suitable linkage (not` shown) connected with the lower end "I I6 thereof..

Having thus described the-parts entering intoV the preferred embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, it will be apparent that upon energization of the motor I4, the clutch elements I9 and I8 coact to impart a high momentum to thejflywheel 6, the gears 46 and 41 rotating idly,

-there being no connection with the engine and Y hence no appreciable loa'd during this period of flywheel acceleration. When suihcient energy has been stored in the flywheel, the motoris prefer- Y ably d'eenergized and the elemnt. |:9 is automatically retracted `due to the clutch construction' heretofore described. Then, upon actuation of the lever III to .-meshjaw clutchv 1 with the en- .gine :member 8; the energy of ,the flywheel is einectiveto start the engine member 8 in rotation. Since the gear 46 -is now rotating at a maximum speed, the, weightsV 88 and pins 94 are in their n outermost positions, and the springs 99 are acI cordingly effective to maintain .the rollers 98 in the central positions as indicated in Fig. 4, in' whichpositions free relative rotation between the gear V46 andthe sleeve58 is possible. i

After the energy transferred from the flywheel to the engine has brought about a reduction in the yilywheel vspeed tothe point at which the springs 89 become effective, the resulting inwardly directed pull on the pins 94 turns the cage 93v relatively to the gear 46 sufficiently to engage the rollers 98 with the ,surfaces of both lthe gear 46- and the sleeve 58, with the result that the latter Kis now driven at a higherspeed than gear 41,

vrollersare in the thus causingthe rollers I 06, |01 and |08 to overrun the 'gear 41. The reduction ratiov from the flywheel 6 to the crankshaft isthus denitely changed, with va resulting acceleration of the v crankshaft and thus a more effective utilization of the energy remaining in the ywheel. There is thus provided, in the present invention, a novel mechanism wherein the speed ofrotation of the engine-engaging -memberlis denitely increased relative to the speed of the driving member at 'an intermediate stage inthei cranking operation.VV Novel speed responsive means have been provided for eiecting this change in driving ratio, which speed responsive means is believed to involve novelty per se, and, f

in itself forms the subjectmatter of claims in my co-pending application No. 728,794,11ed June It is to be understood however,that insofar as the invention is considered. in itsmore comprehensive aspect of providing a novel engine startving mechanism and method of operation, the particular speed fresponsive means shown herein is Anot indispensable,- and'mayv be replaced by equivalent speed responsive mechanisms.l Various other changes, which will now appear to those -skilled`in the art, maybe made in the form, de-

tails oi? construction vand arrangement of the parts-without departing from thespirit of the invention, and reference is therefore to be had to the appended'claims' for a definition of the both said first named clutchesfall of said .clutches being rotatable about a commonjaxis, and a single member connecting both said first named clutches with said torque limiting clutch. Y l

2. In a device of the class described, a member to be driven, a driving member surrounding said first named member but spaced therefrom, means including la plurality` of rollers for drivablydconnecting said members, speed responsive' means mounted on said driving member and operative l; to move said rollers into and out of operative engagement with both said members, a second driving memberk surrounding said driven member, anda one-way clutch for establishing a driving connection between said second driving member and said driven member.

3. In -a device of the class described, a member to be driven, a driving member surrounding said first named memberlj` but spaced therefrom, means including a plurality of rollers for driv-.-

vlably connecting said nembers speed'responsive means mounted onsaid driving member and op`- erative to move-saidrollers intov and-out of oper- A ative `engagement with both said members, a second driving. member surrounding said driven member, and a one-way clutch for establishing a drivingfconnecti'on `between said second driving 70 member and vsaid driven member, only while said disengaged position. Y

4. In a device'of'the class described, a member A to be driven, a drivingxnember coaxial with said -rstnamed member but spaced therefrom,mearis including a plurality of rollers for drivably connecting said members, speed responsive means mounted on said driving member and operative to move said rollers into and out of operative engagement with both said members, a second driving member coaxial with said driven member, and a one-Way clutch for establishing a driving connection betweensaid second driving member and said driven member.

5. In a device of the class described, a memb'er to be driven,. a driving member coaxial with said rst named member but spaced therefrom, means including a plurality of rollers for drivably connecting said members, speed responsive means mounted on said driving member and operative to move said rollers into and out 'of operative engagement with both said members, a, second driving member coaxial with said driven member,

and a one-way clutch for establishing a driving connection between said second driving'member and said driven member, only While said rollers are in the disengaged position.

6. In a device of the class described, a member to be driven, a driving member coaxial with said first named member but spaced therefrom, means including a plurality of rollers for drivably connecting said members, speed'responsive means associated with said driving member and operative to move said rollers into and out of operative engagement with both said members, a seconddriving member coaxial with said driven member, and a one-way clutch for establishing a driving connection between said second driving member and said driven member, only while said rollers are in the disengaged position.

7. In a device of the class described, a member to be driven, a driving member surrounding said first named member but spaced therefrom, means including a plurality of rollers for positivelyconnecting said members, speed responsive means mounted on said driving member and operative to move said rollers into and out of operative engagement with both said members, a second driving member surrounding said driven member, and a one-way clutch for establishing a positive driving connection between said second driving member and' said driven member.

ROMEO M. NARDONE. 

